February 16, 2006

Flimflammable

Last week we noted CNN's latest excuse for not showing images of the Danish Mohammed cartoons:

"CNN is not showing the negative caricatures of the likeness of Prophet Mohammed because the network believes its role is to cover the events surrounding the publication of the cartoons while not unnecessarily adding fuel to the controversy itself."

Keep in mind, as Michelle Malkin noted, that one or two of the cartoons are not "negative" in any way -- they are simply tame cartoon portraits (see all the of cartoons here). CNN refused to show even these, despite their specific disclaimer about "negative caricatures."

Apparently CNN's excuse for the Mohammed cartoons was not a matter of principle. If the new Abu Ghraib photos are newsworthy images relating to a controversial subject, then so are the Mohammed cartoons, if only the cartoons that do not editorialize about Mohammed. Obviously CNN has a double standard at work, one that clearly favors Islamic religious sensibilities, or perhaps fears them.

UPDATE I -- Feb. 17:Blackfive has Abu Ghraib photos of a different kind, and Jawa Report has prisoner abuse photos that aren't being shown in mainstream media.

UPDATE II -- Feb. 18: CNN won't show the Mohammed cartoons, but would they show anti-Semitic cartoons? Gateway Pundit has another example of CNN's Despicable Double Standard.